Introduction of He Shou Wu:Fleeceflower Root or Radix Polygoni Multiflori.
✵The article gives records of the herb Fleeceflower Root and Prepared Fleeceflower Root, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Polygonum multiflorum Thunb., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Fleeceflower Root and Prepared Fleeceflower Root, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Radix Polygoni Multiflori(Fleeceflower Root).
Pin Yin Name: Hé Shǒu Wū.
English Name: Fleeceflower Root.
Latin Name: Radix Polygoni Multiflori.
Property and flavor: slightly warm in nature, tastes bitter, sweet, puckery.
Brief introduction: The herb Radix Polygoni Multiflori is the dried tuberous root of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb., used as a laxative for constipation and also as an antimalarial agent. The herb is commonly known as Radix Polygoni Multiflori, Fleeceflower Root, Hé Shǒu Wū.
Botanical source: Herbal classic book defined the herb Fo-Ti (He Shou Wu) as the dry rhizome and root of the Polygonaceae family Fallopia Genus plant species (1). Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. It is a plant of the Fallopia Adans genus, the Polygonaceae family (smartweed or buckwheat family) of the Polygonales order. This commonly used species is introduced:
(1).Polygonum multiflorum Thunb.
Botanical description: The plant, Polygonum multiflorum Thunb is a plant of the Polygonaceae family (smartweed or buckwheat family) and Fallopia genus, also known as Fallopia multiflora (Thunb.) Haraldson, is commonly known as Fo-Ti, Fleeceflower Root, Maltiflower Knotweed, Tuber Fleeceflower, Climbing Knotweed, Chinese knotweed, Flowery Knotweed, He-Shou-Wu, Shǒu Wū, Hé Shǒu Wū, Jiāo Téng, etc. The plant is a perennial twisted liana (twisted vine). Roots are thin and long, and the root end turns into a hypertrophic root tuber, the appearance is russet (brunneus or reddish-brown) to dust-colour(darkish brown). The stem base is slightly ligneous, and hollow. Leaves are alternate; have long petioles; the ocrea (leaf sheath of stipule) is membranous, brown; leaf blades are narrowly ovate or cordate, 4~8 cm long, 2.5~5 cm wide, the apex is acuminate, the base is cordate or arrow-shaped, entire or slightly undulate, the upper surface is dark green (bottle-green), the under surface is aqua (pale green or pea green), both surfaces are smooth and glabrous.
Panicles. Petals are pedunculate, small pedicel has nodes, the base has membranous bracts; flowers are small, perianth is green-white, 5-lobed, different in size, outside 3 perianths have wings; 8 stamens, unequal length, shorter than the perianth; 1 pistil; the stigma is 3-lobed, capitate.
Achenes are elliptic, 3-ridged, black, lustrous, and wrapped by a persistent perianth outside, the perianth has conspicuous 3 wings. Its flowering period is from August to October, and the fruiting period is from September to November.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows in valley thickets, grass slopes, roadsides, clefts in the rocks, and in areas at altitudes of 200–3,000 meters above sea level. This species is mainly distributed in the northern, northwest, east, central, and southern areas, Taiwan, and other areas of China.
Growth characteristics: The plant, Polygonum multiflorum Thunb., prefers warm and moist climates and should avoid dryness and waterlogging. It is appropriate to choose fields with deep soil layers, loose and fertile soil, good drainage, and humus-rich sandy loam for cultivation. Clay soil is not suitable for planting.
Fleece flower is produced in most parts of China. The root tuber is dug out in spring and autumn, preferably from plants 3–4 years old, washed clean, sliced, and dried in the sun, which is known as raw fleece-flower root. That is prepared by steaming with the juice of black soybean (until it gets brown) and drying (until it gets black) in the sun, it is known as prepared fleece-flower root.
Fo-Ti is a plant native to China, where it continues to be widely grown. The unprocessed root is sometimes used. However, once it has been boiled in a special liquid made from black beans, it is considered a superior and rather different medicine, according to traditional Chinese medicine. The unprocessed root is sometimes called white fo-ti and the processed root is red fo-ti.
Characters of herbs: The root tuber is fusiform (spindle-shaped) or lumpy, generally slightly curved. 5~15 cm long, the diameter is 4~10 cm or 4~12 cm. The surface is reddish brown or russet (brunneus), uneven, has irregular vertical grooves and dense wrinkles, elongated lenticels, and fine root marks. The herb is heavy, the texture of the herb is firm and hard, it is not easy to break, the fracture surface is fallow (light yellowish-brown) or light reddish-brown, mealiness, there are 4~11 quasi-circular heteromorphous vascular bundles in the cortex part and arranged annularly, forming a "brocade-like pattern (figured brocade pattern)", the central part of the xylem (wood part) is big, some are wood cores. The herb has a slight odor, and it tastes slightly bitter, sweet, and puckery. The herb of a better grade is heavy, the texture is firm and farctate, has sufficient mealiness.
Pharmacological actions: ①.lowering blood lipid; ②.retarding the formation and development of atherosclerosis; ③.reducing blood sugar; ④.anti-aging; ⑤.improve the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the body; ⑥.resist ADP-induced platelet aggregation; ⑦.increase liver glycogen content.
Medicinal efficacy: Detoxification, treating boils, preventing attack or recurrence of malaria, relaxing bowel, invigorate the liver, nourish the kidney, replenish the blood, nourish Yin, dispel wind. It is indicated for carbuncle and boils, scrofula (lymphoid tuberculosis), hemorrhoids, urticaria itching (measles itching), chronic malaria and physical weakness, dryness of the intestine and constipation, Yin deficiency of liver and kidney, premature greying hair, tinnitus (ringing in ears), spermatorrhea (nocturnal emission), metrorrhagia and leukorrhagia, blood deficiency and dizziness giddiness, palpitation, insomnia (lose sleep), aching softness of waist knees due to Yin deficiency of liver and kidney, aching pain of muscles tendons and bones, chronic malaria, protracted dysentery, chronic hepatitis, hemorrhoidal hamorrhage, hemorrhoids, etc.
Administration of Radix Polygoni Multiflori (Hé Shǒu Wū):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Radix Polygoni Multiflori (Hé Shǒu Wū)
TCM Books:
①.Internally: 3~6 grams; ②.Internally:water decoction, 3~5 qian (about 9~15 grams);prepare an ointment, infusing in wine, or prepare to pill, powder. Externally: wash with water decoction, prepare to finely ground herb powder, sprinkle apply or apply smear; ③.Internally: water decoction, 10~20 grams, prepare an ointment, infusing in wine, or prepare to pill, powder. Externally: proper amount, wash with water decoction, prepare to finely ground herb powder, sprinkle apply or apply smear.
Contraindications,Precautions and Adverse Reactions: The herb Radix Polygoni Multiflori should not be used with blood of pig, sheep, pork or mutton.The herb should not be combined with radish. The herb should avoid using with scallion and garlic.
Pin Yin Name: Zhì Hé Shǒu Wū,or Zhì Shǒu Wū
English Name: Prepared Fleeceflower Root.
Latin Name: Radix Polygoni Multiflori Preparata.
Property and flavor: warm or slightly warm in nature, tastes bitter, sweet, puckery.
Brief introduction: The Herb Radix Polygoni Multiflori Preparata is the fleece flower root processed with black bean juice, used to replenish liver and kidney Yin and nourish blood for the treatment of blood deficiency of the liver and essence deficiency of the kidney with dizziness, tinnitus, aching black and knees, and early graying of the hair. The herb is commonly known as Radix Polygoni Multiflori Preparata, Prepared Fleeceflower Root, Zhì Hé Shǒu Wū.
✵During the Tang dynasty, herbalist Lin Daoren wrote a book Xian Shou Li Shang Xu Duan Mi Fang (The Secret Recipes of the Immortals for Treating Wounds and Fractures)(846 A.D.). In the book, he described the processing of Ho-Shou-Wu to enhance its tonic properties (processed Ho-Shou-Wu is sometimes called Zhi Heshouwu to distinguish it from the unprocessed form, which may be designated Sheng Shouwu). The processing method is to stew or steam the Ho-Shou-Wu in black soybean juice for several hours (up to three days, depending on the devotion of the processor to this method) and then dry the roots. This is a technique that is still used today. The black soybean juice is prepared by boiling black soybeans in water for about 4 hours; the liquid that is left after the cooking is poured off, and the beans are cooked again with less water for 3 hours; the resulting extract is combined with the former extract to make the juice. About 10 kg of black beans are used to process 100 kg of Ho-Shou-Wu roots. Black beans are traditionally attributed to the property of supplementing blood and essence, and prolonged cooking or steaming of the herb is associated with enhancing its enriching and warming nature. The alchemical version of this processing, which is similar to the recommended method for making processed Rehmannia, is to repeat the stewing or steaming for a total of nine times. Thus, after preparing with the black soybean (overnight) and drying, it is again prepared with black soybean the next day, and so on, until nine cycles have been completed. This repetition of processing was questioned by Chen Shiduo in his book Ben Cao Xin Bian (New Compilation of Herbs), in which he felt that the repeated processing would destroy the quality of the herb. Today, single processing is relied upon.
According to the English-Chinese Rare Chinese Materia Medica, raw ho-shou-wu, that is, the dried root that has not been prepared with soybeans, is used to treat toxicosis (infections yielding abscesses, swellings beneath the skin, sores, carbuncles, and eruptive diseases like rubella), inflammation, constipation, and hyperlipidemia. The soybean-prepared ho-shou-wu is used as a tonic for yin and blood, nourishing the hair, strengthening the bones and muscles, and treating pale complexion, dizziness, tinnitus, premature graying of the hair, weakness of the loins and knees, numbness of the extremities, metrorrhagia, metrostaxis, profuse leukorrhea, weakness due to lingering diseases (e.g., malaria), and hyperlipemia. According to evaluations done with raw and processed ho-shou-wu, the processed version does have different properties and is the one with the most dramatic effects on preserving immune system functions. Processed ho-shou-wu is currently the only one that is regularly exported from China. During the past thousand years in China, processed ho-shou-wu has been used to nourish the liver and kidneys, promote the growth of hair, and treat premature graying of the hair.
The roots of ho-shou-wu are reddish-brown. The taste is starchy, astringent, and slightly bitter. The highest-quality roots are those that have a high density and are firm quality. In Hong Kong, the highest-quality roots are sliced very thin and packaged carefully to display the color, shape, and luster of the slices; the ordinary-quality roots are sliced thicker and sold in bulk packages.
Characters of herbs: The herb is an irregularly wizened piece or block, the thickness is about 1 cm. The surface is black-brown or chocolate-brown, uneven. The texture of the herb is firm and hard, and the fracture surface is keratinous, tan (chocolate-brown), or black. The herb has a slight odor, and it tastes slightly sweet, bitter, and puckery.
Medicinal efficacy: Radix Polygoni Multiflori Preparata invigorates the liver and kidney, nourishing essence and blood, black beard and hair, strengthening the bones and muscles. It is indicated for blood deficiency and sallow complexion, dizziness and tinnitus (vertigo, ringing in ears), premature greying hair, the aching softness of waist and knees, numbness of limbs, neurasthenia (neurosism), metrorrhagia and metrostaxis (uterine bleeding), morbid leukorrhea, chronic malaria and physical weakness, hyperlipoidemia (presence of excess lipids in the blood), etc.
Administration of Radix Polygoni Multiflori Preparata (Zhì Hé Shǒu Wū):
①.Internally: 3~6 grams; ②.Internally:water decoction, 3~5 qian (about 9~15 grams);prepare an ointment, infusing in wine, or prepare to pill, powder. Externally: wash with water decoction, prepare to finely ground herb powder, sprinkle apply or apply smear; ③.Internally: water decoction, 10~20 grams, prepare an ointment, infusing in wine, or prepare to pill, powder. Externally: proper amount, wash with water decoction, prepare to finely ground herb powder, sprinkle apply or apply smear.
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References:
1.Introduction of He Shou Wu:Fleeceflower Root or Radix Polygoni Multiflori.
✵The article gives records of the herb Fleeceflower Root and Prepared Fleeceflower Root, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Polygonum multiflorum Thunb., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Fleeceflower Root and Prepared Fleeceflower Root, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Pin Yin Name: Hé Shǒu Wū.
Botanical description: The plant, Polygonum multiflorum Thunb is a plant of the Polygonaceae family (smartweed or buckwheat family) and Fallopia genus, also known as Fallopia multiflora (Thunb.) Haraldson, is commonly known as Fo-Ti, Fleeceflower Root, Maltiflower Knotweed, Tuber Fleeceflower, Climbing Knotweed, Chinese knotweed, Flowery Knotweed, He-Shou-Wu, Shǒu Wū, Hé Shǒu Wū, Jiāo Téng, etc. The plant is a perennial twisted liana (twisted vine). Roots are thin and long, and the root end turns into a hypertrophic root tuber, the appearance is russet (brunneus or reddish-brown) to dust-colour(darkish brown). The stem base is slightly ligneous, and hollow. Leaves are alternate; have long petioles; the ocrea (leaf sheath of stipule) is membranous, brown; leaf blades are narrowly ovate or cordate, 4~8 cm long, 2.5~5 cm wide, the apex is acuminate, the base is cordate or arrow-shaped, entire or slightly undulate, the upper surface is dark green (bottle-green), the under surface is aqua (pale green or pea green), both surfaces are smooth and glabrous.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows in valley thickets, grass slopes, roadsides, clefts in the rocks, and in areas at altitudes of 200–3,000 meters above sea level. This species is mainly distributed in the northern, northwest, east, central, and southern areas, Taiwan, and other areas of China.
Fleece flower is produced in most parts of China. The root tuber is dug out in spring and autumn, preferably from plants 3–4 years old, washed clean, sliced, and dried in the sun, which is known as raw fleece-flower root. That is prepared by steaming with the juice of black soybean (until it gets brown) and drying (until it gets black) in the sun, it is known as prepared fleece-flower root.
Characters of herbs: The root tuber is fusiform (spindle-shaped) or lumpy, generally slightly curved. 5~15 cm long, the diameter is 4~10 cm or 4~12 cm. The surface is reddish brown or russet (brunneus), uneven, has irregular vertical grooves and dense wrinkles, elongated lenticels, and fine root marks. The herb is heavy, the texture of the herb is firm and hard, it is not easy to break, the fracture surface is fallow (light yellowish-brown) or light reddish-brown, mealiness, there are 4~11 quasi-circular heteromorphous vascular bundles in the cortex part and arranged annularly, forming a "brocade-like pattern (figured brocade pattern)", the central part of the xylem (wood part) is big, some are wood cores. The herb has a slight odor, and it tastes slightly bitter, sweet, and puckery. The herb of a better grade is heavy, the texture is firm and farctate, has sufficient mealiness.
Pin Yin Name: Zhì Hé Shǒu Wū,or Zhì Shǒu Wū
Characters of herbs: The herb is an irregularly wizened piece or block, the thickness is about 1 cm. The surface is black-brown or chocolate-brown, uneven. The texture of the herb is firm and hard, and the fracture surface is keratinous, tan (chocolate-brown), or black. The herb has a slight odor, and it tastes slightly sweet, bitter, and puckery.
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